In a major milestone for India’s indigenous defence capability, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) successfully conducted a test of the Nag Mk II Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) from the newly developed Light Tank platform. The test, conducted with full operational success, marks a significant step forward in India’s efforts to strengthen its self-reliant defence ecosystem under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
The Light Tank — designed and developed by the Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE) of DRDO and manufactured by L&T — demonstrated its firepower by successfully launching the Nag Mk II missile, which achieved a direct hit on a target five kilometres away. The missile met all key performance parameters, including precision, range, and top-attack capability.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, the Indian Army, and industry partners for the achievement, calling it “a proud moment for India’s indigenous defence ecosystem” and a testament to the nation’s growing technological prowess in armoured warfare systems.
Operational Significance
Defence experts have described the successful demonstration as a major advancement in India’s battlefield preparedness, particularly along the western border with Pakistan, where armoured and anti-tank operations are central to ground strategy.
The Light Tank–Nag Mk II combination is designed to provide the Indian Army with a decisive advantage in both desert and high-altitude environments such as Rajasthan and Ladakh. The Nag Mk II, a third-generation, fire-and-forget missile, is capable of destroying modern enemy tanks equipped with explosive reactive armour and countermeasures. With its ability to strike targets up to 5 kilometres away in both top-attack and direct-attack modes, the missile enhances India’s anti-armour strike capability across diverse terrains.
Strategic Boost
Experts highlight that the Light Tank’s high mobility, when paired with the Nag Mk II’s advanced targeting precision, allows for rapid deployment and engagement of enemy armour even in GPS-denied or low-visibility conditions — a crucial factor in modern, fast-moving battlefields.
The system’s indigenous design and production mark a strategic shift toward reducing dependency on foreign weapons systems, ensuring greater operational autonomy for the Indian Army. Once inducted, the Light Tank–Nag Mk II combination will become a cornerstone of India’s next-generation armoured warfare capability, reinforcing the country’s readiness to respond swiftly to any cross-border escalation or armoured incursion.
The successful completion of this test clears the path for the platform’s formal induction into service, representing another leap forward in India’s journey toward self-reliance in cutting-edge defence technologies.
